Dissipate
by vasoline
Summary: "Everybody's life is rough in a way. Some rougher than others. You just have to grow up and realize that."


I don't know what this is? ? Johnny/Dally friendship drabble? Johnny is not a fragile little flower? ?

* * *

_Quiet cigarettes and loud voices._

* * *

The music was too loud, the people were too loud - and if one more couple barged into his room looking for a place to 'hang out' he was going to freak.

He didn't want to be at Bucks, it wasn't the ideal place to catch some shut eye on a Friday night but he didn't have a clue on where else to go. Sylvia and him were off right now and he couldn't go to the Curtis'. It would have been the third night he crashed there this week and they would question him, look at him with pity. He didn't want that, he hated that. He decided on Bucks and now was regretting it.

The door to his room flung open again and he pushed himself roughly off the bed, ready to yell at the inconsiderate couple _and_ barge down the stairs and demand to Buck he get a lock.

It wasn't a couple at all. Just one person, Johnny.

"What's up, man?" He asked. He knew something was wrong if Johnny showed up to Buck's. Immdiately, on instinct, Dallas searched for new bruises or cuts but the lighting was too dark.

Johnny shrugged, he didn't ask to come in just pushed past him.

"Just couldn't think of where to go," Johnny said once he was in the room. "Mom and dad are screamin' and they won't stop. Dad gave me a nice bruise, too."

Dallas could see the bruise now since he had flicked on the lamp, it was fresh so it wasn't too dark in color yet but the swelling around his eye was obvious.

"I would go to Pony's but they just don't understand, ya know? They don't get it. They try - but they have perfect parents."

Dallas could understand. Hell, it was the exact same reason why he himself was at Bucks tonight. He couldn't go home and nobody understood. Missus Curtis did, she would talked to him sometimes, never actually mentioning her situation but relating to him. He knew her life must have been similar. One thing she always told him was, "Everybody's life is rough in a way. Some rougher than others. You just have to grow up and realize that."

He repeated that to a nodding Johnny. He seemed to understand it. Dallas lit up a smoke and they passed it around.

"I hate booze and parties," Johnny said. "That scene don't make sense to me."

He could hear the hardly muffled sounds from the party underneath them. It wasn't the most soothing noise, it was quite annoying. It was better than nothing.

"I like booze and I like girls," Dallas said to Johnny. "Not big on parties but you win some you lose some."

He liked drinking a whole lot and he liked girls a whole lot but parties were crowded, sweaty and filled with sloppy drunks that didn't know how to hold their liquor if their lives depended on it. That's why he liked having a steady girlfriend, someone to get rip-roaring drunk with then hook-up with as the night progressed.

"Where's Sylvia?"

Dallas looked away. "She broke up with me. Doesn't think I'm any good anymore."

"You'll be back together in week." Johnny laughed, Dallas did too but it wasn't sincere. It was usually true that his break ups with Sylvia never lasted long but this one seemed different. Sylvia seemed determined. "Toxic," she had called them.

Dallas didn't need her, though. Tulsa wasn't as big as New York but it was still a big city. There were plenty of girls that would do him just fine, even better than she had. But that wasn't the point, Dallas wasn't a fan of change.

"I got my eyes on a girl," Johnny grinned and sparked up another smoke. They must have gone through half a pack already. "She's a sight for sore eyes, man. Anita Birch,"

Johnny continued to talk, it was nice to see with his mind on something else other than his shit parents. He seemed happy as he talked about this chick and whatever was on his mind. It distracted Dallas away from his troubles too.

Dallas knew Anita, not well but she had been in a couple of his classes when he used to go. She had long legs and bedroom eyes but she was quiet, studious and innocent as could be. He hadn't even attempted to try anything because he knew it would go nowhere. Johnny was tough and he could get as rough as the other guys if need be but he could see Johnnys attraction to the girl. She was sweet and tame but still knew the score around here, Johnny didn't want anything hard to handle; he got enough of that at home.

"I should get goin'," Johnny said. It must have been two in the morning. The whole back of cigs was gone. "I'll see ya around."

Dallas nodded and as soon as Johnny was gone he switched off the lamp. It was dark again.

The noise from downstairs had not stopped but it was duller. He would be able to get some sleep, as long as he didn't have another person open the damn door.

He was asleep, had been for a short while but was awoken to the bedroom door opening once more. He didn't even move, he didn't have the patience for whoever it was.

"Hey, Dally," It was Buck's voice. "How'd you feel about a lock on the door? I got extra some money and I was thinkin' about installin' some."

Dallas groaned, irritated. "Buck, if you

don't install a goddamn lock on that door, I fuckin' will._"_

Buck chuckled like he found that funny and he slammed the door shut. Luckily, nobody opened it again.


End file.
